5 Signs You Need to Pay Attention to Your Mental Health

Young adults suffer the most from mental health issues

It’s fair to say that mental health issues are common in the US. According to NIH, one in five adults in the US lives with a mental illness. Young adults make up the largest portion of adults facing mental health issues.

Moreover, out of all the people suffering from mental health issues, more than 13 million have a serious mental illness. COVID-19 further increased mental health issues among US adults, with 49% of adults reporting more mental stress in April 2020 than the previous month.

Since mental health issues make up a very wide range of conditions, it’s no surprise that most people don’t notice the signs early on. However, these are the five signs that mean you should pay attention to your mental health:

1.    Excessive Worry, Anxiety, or Paranoia

It’s normal to worry sometimes, but often we notice people around us showing signs of excessive worry and anxiety. Paranoia, defined as the perception that others around you have aggressive or hostile motives, is also a worrying sign.

Anxiety can be a common sign of mental issues

These signs can be symptomatic of numerous mental health issues as well as physical issues. For instance, it could be a sign of mental conditions such as psychosis or schizophrenia. Furthermore, it’s also considered a symptom of physical illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

2.    Long-lasting Irritability or Sadness

Again, it’s normal to feel irritable or sad sometimes. However, what’s concerning is that long-lasting sadness or irritability could be a sign of a host of issues. These signs can be symptomatic of quite a few mental health issues such as stress, depression, PTSD, anxiety, or bipolar disorder.

However, it’s important not to diagnose yourself based on one symptom but rather to see a professional and get the proper diagnosis. This blog is just a basic guide to help you understand that long-lasting irritability or sadness could be a sign of mental health issues.

3.    Extreme Mood Swings

Mood swings can occur due to mental health issues as well as hormonal changes or substance abuse issues. However, mood swings are most often symptomatic of bipolar or schizoaffective disorders.

4.    Social Withdrawal

Social withdrawal is considered to be one of the most common signs of depression. However, social anxiety can also lead to withdrawal. So, it’s not a given that it’s depression if you or your loved one is experiencing social withdrawal.

5.    Dramatic Sleeping and Eating Pattern Changes

Changes in your eating and sleeping patterns can also be a worrisome sign. Often, stress can lead to changes in sleeping and eating patterns. However, depression and anxiety can also cause such issues.

Get Professional Help for Your Mental Health Issues

If you or your loved one is experiencing these signs, it’s important you get the proper care they need. At Ziks Health Services, we offer comprehensive mental health and behavioral health services in Dallas, TX, and New Mexico. Contact now to learn more.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

You may use these <abbr title="HyperText Markup Language">HTML</abbr> tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

*